Kobayashi was fantastic today. He was a bit naughty in places (moving in the braking area) and should get his wrists slapped because of it, but he didn't just sit back and yield to a faster car. Overtaking too was impressive. He well deserves a drive in 2010, and with a bit of refining we could have another gem.

I wouldn't be upset to see Kobayashi make the 2010 grid full-time. I think Toyota may have unearthed what Renault, Toro Rosso, Force India and even Ferrari have not: an unpolished gem of talent. It still remains to be seen, though; Kobayashi's performance is due in no small part to his qulifying and saying out of trouble on the opening lap. If he didn't block as much and could find some extra speed in there - Button took three and a half seconds out of him once he'd cleared the Toyota if memory serves - he may just be Japan's best shot at a decent Formula One driver.

Kubica, Vettel and Hamilton were all quite impressive on their respective debuts. Not sure about Bourdais, that was more stealth than speed.

And then they got punished for showing balls and lectured that in F1 driving is like checkmate moves. Once you move, you cant change position. Especially Lewis, who at the beginning went for every gap he saw. Kobayashi, if given a seat, will get the same schooling and turn to the same cautious driving style like the others.

And then they got punished for showing balls and lectured that in F1 driving is like checkmate moves. Once you move, you cant change position. Especially Lewis, who at the beginning went for every gap he saw. Kobayashi, if given a seat, will get the same schooling and turn to the same cautious driving style like the others.

Exactly. And then the FIA try to make techinal changes to improve the spectacle. What complete and utter bollocks.

Hey guys. That was an impressive drive for a debut by Kamui today, particularly in wheel-to-wheel battling, but let's not get over-excited. He ended up 10th out of 14 cars. Whereas his team-mate retired from 4th place. He did show balls today but let's keep things under a balanced perspective. The amount of time on camera isn't proportional to the quality of a performance.

Kobayashi is someone I was anticipating big things from and was a bit let down by his regular GP2 season, but after this weekend I'd like to see him back in F1 next year. My one reservation is that I'm afraid he could be another victim of this limited testing nonsense. He still needs a bit of finesse; some of his moves are occasionally on the borderline to be sure, but he has speed and aggression and that makes up for a lot.

Only seen him in 1 race when he was doing his all to win a contract. Now he's got to go to the next one, put in a consistent performance and deliver consistent and fast lap times. He has fight but there is safe fighting driving and dangerous fighitng driver. He's the latter. IMO Toyota would do better in sticking with Glock and getting Kovalinen as it seems they can't get the really big names unless he does a blinder (IF he drives) in the final race. One race does not make a world class/decent/F1 standard driver

Hey guys. That was an impressive drive for a debut by Kamui today, particularly in wheel-to-wheel battling, but let's not get over-excited. He ended up 10th out of 14 cars. Whereas his team-mate retired from 4th place. He did show balls today but let's keep things under a balanced perspective. The amount of time on camera isn't proportional to the quality of a performance.

One of the reasons I'm skeptic is that I remember a japanese guy doing his debut at Interlagos and being this impressive, specially after doing a quicker fastest lap than his highly rated team-mate. His name... Kazuki Nakajima.

The other reason I'm skeptic is because I've been watching Kobayashi race for the past 2 years and he's been nothing but a disappointment. Even his championship win in Asia seemed unimpressive.

But hey, he did surprise me this weekend! Wouldn't be the first driver that clicks with F1 after being crap at the level below.

The incident with Nakajima was 50/50 in my opinion, and so what that it happened on his debut? It could happen in his 100th race and the outcome would be the same, it's not the worst thing ever to happen in F1.

Really ballsy moves though, although mostly in defending it must be said.

All in all though I would say that's the best performance anyone has put in at Brazil since a few of JPM's races there.

was he really that impressive? certainly he did well to qualify reasonable high up and he stayed out of trouble on the opening lap, but after that he went backwards and driving nakajima off the track was moronic and could have resulted in a really nasty accident. quite how he escaped punishment by the stewards i'm not sure

was he really that impressive? certainly he did well to qualify reasonable high up and he stayed out of trouble on the opening lap, but after that he went backwards and driving nakajima off the track was moronic and could have resulted in a really nasty accident. quite how he escaped punishment by the stewards i'm not sure

The pole sitter finished several positions behind the one he started in, Koboyashi finished ahead of the position he started in. Again, good going for a debut.

The incident with Nakajima looked sort-of spectacular, but really it wasn't anything amazing, just your standard 'will-he-won't-he' sideways move from both drivers. Nakajima clearly couldn't decide where he wanted to go on the track, as well as Koboyashi. Easily a 50/50 incident, which is why the stewards had no action to take.

The pole sitter finished several positions behind the one he started in, Koboyashi finished ahead of the position he started in. Again, good going for a debut.

you have to mention the context, at least 5 cars ahead of him retired due to various incidents, in a normal f1 race you don't get that many retirements, i don't think what he did was especailly amazing.

The incident with Nakajima looked sort-of spectacular, but really it wasn't anything amazing, just your standard 'will-he-won't-he' sideways move from both drivers. Nakajima clearly couldn't decide where he wanted to go on the track, as well as Koboyashi. Easily a 50/50 incident, which is why the stewards had no action to take.

hey personally i'm fine with that sort of thing, they are all big boys out there, but when you consider all the rubbish punishments handed out over the last 2-3 years you do wonder about the consistency.

hes the same mould of driver as montoya, and i think button was getting frustraited he couldnt get passed him more than anything else. I really enjoyed watching him, he was the most interesting thing in the GP by far. hamilton might have some compertion next year in the interesting while in car stakes

One of the reasons I'm skeptic is that I remember a japanese guy doing his debut at Interlagos and being this impressive, specially after doing a quicker fastest lap than his highly rated team-mate. His name... Kazuki Nakajima.

The other reason I'm skeptic is because I've been watching Kobayashi race for the past 2 years and he's been nothing but a disappointment. Even his championship win in Asia seemed unimpressive.

But hey, he did surprise me this weekend! Wouldn't be the first driver that clicks with F1 after being crap at the level below.

I know what you mean. Everyone expected him to fight for the championship in his second F3Euro season, but he failed. Then he went to GP2Asia, but was mediocre in most of the races, the same goes for the regular GP2 championship in 2008.

But somehow there seems to be talent in him. Would be great to have a competitive japanese driver.

Toyota would be silly not to replace Trulli with Kobayashi if Trulli is leaving, he kinda reminds me of Takuma Sato. I couldn't really get annoyed at him holding up Jenson cause he wasn't doing anything wrong, he was great.

you have to mention the context, at least 5 cars ahead of him retired due to various incidents, in a normal f1 race you don't get that many retirements, i don't think what he did was especailly amazing.

That's very true actually, but there is also the context that all those experienced hands couldn't get round the first lap without retiring through truly idiotic crashes, while he makes it all the way to the chequered flag on his debut.

I agree with you on the inconsistency of punishments, although that's another debate, but my own feeling is that given how Nakajima tried a lunge up the inside at the very last moment it was at worst a 50/50 blame-share surely?

I know what you mean. Everyone expected him to fight for the championship in his second F3Euro season, but he failed. Then he went to GP2Asia, but was mediocre in most of the races, the same goes for the regular GP2 championship in 2008.

But somehow there seems to be talent in him. Would be great to have a competitive japanese driver.

With some drivers they carry their previous form into F1, while others (Jan Magnussen for one) totally lose it.

I still hold firm to my opinion that Jenson Button was an average talent pre-F1, had a ****ing good management team that talked his way into an F1 test while his mostly superior peers vanished without trace and essentially has dicked around for most of his F1 career, but today he became WDC and I don't begrudge him it one bit, because in 2009 he drove like a WDC. (I ain't discussing Jenson any further though, it's been done to death for the last ten years)

Who knows, Koboyashi may be shit in all of his future races, but on the other hand sometimes some things just come together and work beautifully, with no explanation as to why things suddenly clicked, but Koboyashi and an F1 car may turn out to be a marriage made in heaven.

Schumacher? Villeneuve? Raikkonen, Alonso and Montoya all in the same GP? Webber? Rosberg? Hamilton? Sutil who outqualified his team-mate by a second in his first go? Hell, even Buemi got points on debut this year.